Cyber security the foundation for economic opportunities and social values in the digital domain The Netherlands is one of the most digitalized countries in the world. This offers us outstanding conditions to be an international leader in securely, freely and quickly adopting and using new technologies. These new technologies play an increasingly significant role in our daily lives. One example is e-commerce, others include digital communication with our doctor, school and the public authorities. Moreover, far-reaching digitalisation in care (e-health), mobility (e-automotive), the growth in internet-connected devices and appliances (Internet of Things), key technologies such as big data, 5G, quantum computers and artificial intelligence ensures that the digital domain and the physical domain are becoming more closely interwoven. These developments also raise ethical questions in regard to privacy and dealing with data. Protecting values and fundamental rights in the digital domain is also an important component of cybersecurity. Citizens must be able to count on the fact their fundamental rights are assured both online and offline and that their privacy is also being guaranteed in the digital domain. These technological and social developments have also led to an increase in the vulnerabilities in the digital domain, a trend that is expected to continue in coming years. It is precisely because every aspect of society – social and economic – increasingly depends on digital processes that digital attacks can directly damage our economy and threaten national security. After all, social processes are easier to disrupt on a large scale. The increased vulnerability is apparent from the successive Cyber Security Assessments Netherlands, in which Dutch intelligence and security services, the National Definition of cybersecurity Cybersecurity is the entirety of measures to prevent damage caused by disruption, failure or misuse of ICT and to recover should damage occur. Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism (NCTV), the National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) and the police indicate a worrying increase in digital threats. Moreover, resilience is lagging behind the development of the threat. This situation requires additional efforts from public authorities, the business community and citizens to protect Dutch interests and to strengthen the Dutch approach to cybersecurity in the interests of national security. At the same time, cybersecurity as a business sector also provides economic and social opportunities: a strong Dutch cybersecurity sector stimulates the development of knowledge, the labour market and employment opportunities and contributes to the Netherlands’ international profile in the economic, military and security fields. Moreover, a strong Dutch cybersecurity sector contributes towards digital autonomy: public authorities and the business community can rely on their own solutions for digital security and they also foster digital security in the broadest sense by acquiring cybersecurity services for their own processes. This incentive also fosters the export of Dutch values such as an open, free and secure internet. In this way, the Netherlands also improves its position internationally as a known and recognized collaboration partner and cybersecurity authority. A cyber secure Netherlands National Cyber Security Agenda | 9